


Crystal Promise

by kagurasbuns



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Ancient Spiritshipping, Angst, Character Death, Fluff, Infinite Month, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, More tags to be added, Oneshot collection, infiniteshipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-14 04:05:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16485608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kagurasbuns/pseuds/kagurasbuns
Summary: Dumping place of oneshots for Infinite Month!





	1. Married AU

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 Prompt: Married AU.
> 
> Check out the event at Lunick's blog: http://itsashowtime.tumblr.com/post/178821585812/infinite-month-2018-due-to-popular-demand

Their first morning officially together was nothing special, but perhaps it was exactly that fact that made it special: it was just like their other mornings together, with short-lived pillow talks interrupted by sleepy kisses.

 

Mamoru was still deeply asleep, but Jougo’s heart was pounding, since Mamoru didn’t have his mask on which meant _he didn’t have his mask on and he looked so beautiful like this_.

 

Jougo lied in bed, staring at the sleeping face of his new husband, half-expecting to see a pair of blue and green eyes sleepily meet chocolate brown ones. With an upturned palm on his cheek, Jougo passed the time tracing the features of Mamoru’s face, fingertip outlining Mamoru’s lips and jawline. He had just decided to outline Mamoru’s chest (because hot _damn_ ) when the blonde finally roused awake.  

 

“Good morning,” Jougo said, already shaky with happiness as Mamoru stirred.

 

Mamoru blinked, a sleepy smile tentatively mirroring back the one on Jougo’s face. God, Mamoru looked so good right now. Eyes half-lidded and hazy with languor and desire, blonde hair still tousled from their lovemaking last night, Jougo almost thought this had to be a dream. Mamoru’s reply, punctuated with a yawn, anchored the prince back to reality: “Good morning, your majesty.”

 

Jougo giggled. “That’s what you’re really going to call me, so early in the morning?” He unceremoniously settles himself atop Mamoru, who springs awake from Jougo’s weight on his chest; he instinctively binds his arms around the prince’s waist to prevent him from falling down.

 

“Should I… not call you that anymore?” Mamoru’s eyes showed worry and confusion.

 

Jougo hummed, leaning down so their lips barely brushed against each other. He stifled a laugh as he felt Mamoru let out a tiny gasp. He was going to have to get used to Jougo being more active in their married life now.

 

“Call me like how I call you.”

 

Mamoru blinked. “I shall… call you by my name?”

 

Jougo snorted. “No, like. _Precious_. Beloved. Stuff like that,” he rolled his eyes, feeling a little embarrassed himself by asking such a request.

 

Mamoru bit his lip, but tried to follow the prince’s command. “Ah… Is it okay if I call you, 'my love'?”

 

Jougo grinned widely; hearing Mamoru call him such a thing was music to his ears. “Your first and last.”

 

Mamoru smiled bashfully, a pleasant rosy color spreading across his cheeks. Jougo reached a hand to brush off a stray lock of hair from Mamoru’s face, daring to lean even closer so their noses were nuzzling. His eyes fixed onto Mamoru’s lips—soft, tempting, and somehow the best place where Jougo’s own lips should be.

 

“You know, Mamo,” he murmured, “you look really good without your mask. Especially when we…” Jougo trailed off, merely flashing Mamoru a suggestive smirk. Mamoru’s face flushed.

 

Capitalizing on Mamoru’s flustered state, Jougo closed what little distance they had from each other and dove in for a sweet and dragged out kiss. They felt more intimate than they ever had before, with Jougo’s hands finding every memorized spot that made Mamoru arch his back and moan softly into Jougo’s mouth, retracing their steps from last night; Mamoru reciprocated this by guiding the kiss downward, his lips and teeth skimming over fresh love marks.

 

“Mamo,” Jougo whined, as he felt Mamoru’s teeth nip at the side of his neck. They had shifted positions by then; Jougo was under Mamoru now.

 

“Yes, my love?” Mamoru gave Jougo’s neck one last kiss before he looked up, his bedroom eyes causing Jougo’s heart to skip a beat.

 

Jougo reached down and entwined his arms around Mamoru’s neck, bringing him close so they could look at each other in the eye. Mamoru blinked curiously.

 

“It’s too early to do it again,” Jougo laughed.

 

Mamoru’s eyes widened with embarrassment, hiding his face on Jougo’s shoulder. “M-my apologies. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

 

Jougo scoffed, dumbfounded that Mamoru could still bring himself to be so formal in bed, and when they were  _already married_. “Don’t apologize,” Jougo reassured him, lightly tugging on Mamoru’s shoulder so he could get down on the bed with him. They were both lying down now, facing each other. Jougo happily took advantage of their new position to nuzzle Mamoru’s neck. Mamoru entwined an arm around the prince’s waist, while using his free hand to reach for the top of Jougo’s head. Mamoru did his signature headpat, earning a content noise from the prince.

 

“Don’t apologize, because we’re still going to continue later,” Jougo said, voice muffled against the crook of Mamoru’s neck. Mamoru flushed, stuttering _understood_ , _my love_ as the prince drifted into unconsciousness this time.

 

Mamoru watched as the sunlight played with the shadows on his beloved’s sleeping face, patiently waiting for him to awaken.


	2. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 Prompt: Firsts.
> 
> The first time Mamoru went missing. 
> 
> Alternatively: The first time Jougo realized that he was in love.

The sun had already set. Jougo smiled, knowing that it was almost time for him to be dismissed from his chores and be free to do whatever he pleased. Jougo finished the last bit of his errands and quickly ran outside of the castle walls with a skip in his step. He was finally going to see Mamoru!

 

He couldn’t help but look forward to this part of the day—the anticipation as he walked up the hills, passing through aromatic gardens and clear rivers; then the excitement spiking up further as he was finally steps away from the large, grassy plain where he and Mamoru spent countless days and evenings and hours simply passing the time, just happily together. Jougo smiled to himself, thinking if he should surprise Mamoru today. Should he sneak up on him from behind? Or just tackle him head-on with a bear hug? The latter seemed like the better option.

 

Finally, _finally_ , Jougo reached his favorite place in the world. He gasped for air as he looked over the horizon, scanning the field for any sign of a mysterious boy with a mask. Jougo pouted when he couldn’t find such a figure. Guess he was going to have to look for his best friend.

 

Jougo ambled around, the sound of his footsteps crushing grass being his only companion in the silent plains. He looked right and left, checked behind trees, even retracing his steps in case he missed something. Mamoru was nowhere to be found.

 

“Mamo?” Jougo’s voice echoed in the passing wind as silence enveloped the grassy plains. “Mamo!”

 

Jougo ran. Ran as long as his legs could carry him, feeling a surge of loneliness well up in his chest. The sun had completely set, and a bruise-colored sky transformed the horizon’s view. Jougo stopped to observe the sky and let out an exasperated sigh. Was Mamoru really not here?

 

Feeling defeated, the prince slumped onto the ground with a heavy heart. He looked up and only found some stars twinkling back at him. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth in frustration. He waited so long for this moment and… this would happen. It never crossed Jougo’s mind that maybe Mamoru had his own life that didn’t include the prince in it.

 

A flock of birds flew into his sight, traveling to their destination together. Jougo huffed, feeling unusually irritated from spotting some birds. How come birds had their friends? Why not him? Jougo felt so silly comparing himself to some birds that he just closed his eyes. When push came to shove, Jougo often responded by taking a nap. With one last sigh, he let himself drift into unconsciousness, hoping that he would wake up to the sound of Mamoru’s voice, calling his name.

* * *

 

He didn’t. Jougo roused awake to the sound of somebody else’s voice—Yubel. They escorted him safely back to the kingdom and walked him to his bedroom. Jougo was sulking the whole time.

 

The next morning, he went back to his boring chores as usual. His father noticed he was unusually grumpy, so he gave Jougo more work to do so he could “focus.” Great.

 

Then, as if things couldn’t get worse, Yubel was also nowhere to be found, so he couldn’t talk to anyone while he was doing chores. What was with this terrible streak of misfortune lately?

 

Luckily enough though, Jougo managed to stomach the workload and get his chores done. He supposed this was the last bit of his so-called punishment from the universe or whatever. His chores were mind-numbing, but that was the price to pay as he was the Prince.

 

Jougo rested his head on his hands, which were on top of a windowsill. The sun had set again. He puffed his cheeks, remembering the unpleasant experience he had yesterday.

 

For some reason, though, Jougo still chose to go to the grassy field.

 

He walked up the same hills, the same gardens and rivers with the same anticipation, though this time he was preparing himself to be disappointed. After all, he was probably right. Mamoru had a life outside of Jougo. He wasn’t Mamoru’s world, and he should probably keep remembering that if he didn’t want to get unnecessarily hurt like this.

 

Jougo finally reached the field, and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Mamoru, standing in the middle of the setting sun.

 

His best friend glowed prettier than any sunset he had ever seen.

 

Jougo’s heart ached with a sweet emotion, and he shook his head to check if he was hallucinating.

 

Mamoru was still there. Smiling at him. Still under that warm, beautiful light.

 

“Jougo!”

 

The prince’s name echoed into the air, and Jougo ran to his best friend.

 

“Where were you?” Jougo panted as he reached Mamoru’s side, voice slightly strained.  

 

Mamoru bit his lip. “Ruby was missing, so I had to look for her… I’m sorry I couldn’t come yesterday.”

 

Jougo pouted. “Did it really take that long? You had to look all day?” he sounded more childish than upset.  

 

Mamoru’s lips curved into a frown. “She was kidnapped again. I had to track her intruder down.”

 

Jougo faltered, feeling a pang of guilt hit him. He was right; Mamoru had other people in his life that he tended to. Jougo completely understood that. He looked down at the ground, skidding his feet across the soil. “Sorry. I hope she’s okay.”

Mamoru nodded. He paused for a moment and took one of Jougo’s hands and brought it to his chest. Jougo froze, feeling his cheeks burn red.

 

“I…” Mamoru hesitated. “I was worried I wouldn’t see you again today, because I was not able to inform you of my whereabouts. I thought I wouldn’t be able to find you. I’m sorry, again.”

 

Jougo’s expression softened, and he let out a snort after taking a moment to process Mamoru’s words. Knowing he felt that way had mellowed Jougo out a bit.  “Don’t be silly. We’ll always find each other on this place. It’s practically ours now.”

 

Mamoru’s face rivaled the warmth on Jougo’s cheeks. He gave the prince a small, tentative smile. “Our place…”

 

Jougo nodded, pulling his hand away from Mamoru’s chest to give him a hug. He felt Mamoru stiffen for a second, but eventually put his arms around the prince as well.

 

Feeling Mamoru’s touch again felt… so soothing. Somehow everything that happened yesterday seemed like a bad dream now. But, holding Mamoru like this also evoked a strange feeling within the Prince. His heartbeat was unusually fast. Really, really fast. And he didn’t want to let go of Mamoru. Jougo was perfectly fine staying like this.

 

“Mamo…”

 

“Yes, your majesty?”

 

Jougo’s heart pounded like crazy. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Why did he feel so nervous? He wasn’t usually like this around Mamoru. Why was his heart beating so fast, and why was his chest aching painfully but sweetly at the same time?

 

Why did he have this natural urge to just lean up and kiss his best friend on the lips?

 

Jougo froze.

 

_Kiss… Mamoru?_

 

Jougo’s eyes shot wide open, as he let out a small gasp.

 

 _Best friends… don’t kiss each other, do they?_ Jougo was sure about it. Only couples did that. He’d seen it before in kingdom balls. But then… why did such a thing cross his mind? Mamoru was his best friend, wasn’t he? He couldn’t kiss his best friend, right?

 

Still, why did Jougo feel like changing that just now?  

 

“Jougo?” Mamoru’s voice snapped the prince back into reality. His head was tilted to the side, awaiting for a response. “Are you alright?”

 

Jougo blinked, feeling fuzzy inside. He shook his head, trying to pull himself together. Now wasn’t the time to think of such things. He would have to think about this later, but for now, he needed to answer Mamoru.

 

“Please... ” Jougo swallowed his agitation, his heart threatening to fly out of his chest, “Please… don’t leave me again without a word, Mamo.”

 

Mamoru gave Jougo a warm smile, gently leaning down to kiss the prince’s forehead. Jougo flushed as if he was on a fever. He looked up at his best friend, feeling Mamoru’s intense gaze behind the mask. Jougo stood, absolutely starstruck by the sincerity in Mamoru’s voice.

 

“I promise, Jougo.”


	3. Touch/Blush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 Prompt: Touch/Blush. 
> 
> Cold. 
> 
> It was the only word that Mamoru could think of as he lied in the darkness.

Cold. 

 

It was the only word that Mamoru could think of as he lied in the darkness. He tried to open his eyes, but he could only see the darkness. Was this… death? The last thing Mamoru remembered was Jougo’s crying face. Mamoru couldn’t tell if something had happened to him after that. 

 

Mamoru’s thoughts were interrupted as his senses recognized a presence. That, and a sound. A voice. A tight emotion welled up in Mamoru’s chest upon hearing it. He knew this feeling. 

 

Was it Jougo? One of the Crystal Beasts? 

 

Neither. As Mamoru slowly came to and his crystal clear vision returned to him, he opened his eyes to see a familiar, but foreign face, smiling at him strangely. He had dual brown hair, with a tail-like end, along with chocolate brown eyes. 

 

Mamoru could’ve sworn it was someone different until the stranger spoke in a voice that belonged to one, and only  _ one  _ person. 

 

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t wake up. It’s rude to just stare, you know,” the boy said, crossing his arms with a smirk on his face. 

 

Mamoru blinked. “You’re… Jougo?” 

 

The boy resembling Mamoru’s love moved closer to look at him dead in the eye. His eyes glowed into a deep, flaming orange, alarming Mamoru, whose eyes widened in response. “ _ Haou _ .” 

 

Haou? 

 

“You… became the King,” Mamoru spelled it out for himself, “...after…I—” 

 

“After  _ he _ did it.”

 

“Still, I—” Mamoru’s eyes began to scald, his chest tightening with a familiar pain. Everything was only starting to sink in and it crashed into him like a tidal wave—the Light of Destruction infecting his soul, that long and futile struggle of attempting to suppress  _ him _ , that dark and twisted part of Mamoru taking over and all he could remember was red and fire—“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, I didn’t—I  _ didn’t  _ want to hurt you, to make you—” 

 

Haou clamped Mamoru’s mouth shut with a hand, glaring daggers into heterochromatic eyes. “Stop that.” 

 

Mamoru reluctantly did as he was told. Honestly, seeing Jougo like this again made him feel weird. He was so used to Jougo’s presence, which had a soothing effect on Mamoru. Now the atmosphere had dampened. It was as if Jougo’s cheerful aura had disappeared. 

 

Disappeared, along with Mamoru, on that fateful day. 

 

The King wrapped his arms around Mamoru, who realized just now that he was shirtless. Mamoru burned, feeling conscious, but discarded such thoughts when he felt Haou’s breath ghost on his neck, carrying his name: “Mamo.” 

 

Mamoru flinched. He missed this voice so much. The one that called for him, that always sounded happy to see Mamoru. It felt good to hear it again, but Mamoru couldn’t help but notice a distinction. It wasn’t Jougo speaking anymore; it was a different person using his voice.

 

Haou brushed his lips across Mamoru’s neck, triggering a familiar response. The King chuckled as Mamoru let out a soft gasp. 

 

“You’re in someone else’s body, but you have the same sensitive spots,” Haou teased. 

 

Mamoru pulled away from their embrace, if one could call it as such. He looked down to see markings on his chest. 

 

“Whose body is this?”

 

The King smiled at him softly, carding through his hair. Mamoru felt a sick pit in his stomach as he waited for an answer. 

 

“Your reincarnation.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while I was half-asleep so I apologize for the quality sajhdafjhs i'm not even sure if this counts as a prompt fic but oh well ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	4. Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 Prompt: Gift.
> 
> Mamoru promises something exciting for Jougo's birthday.

“Mamooo.” 

 

“Hm?”

 

“I wanna ask you something. Promise me you won’t get mad, okay?” 

 

The two were lying on the grass, side by side, silently observing the cloudy sky. The ground was warm and cozy, carrying a pleasant heat from the glaring sun earlier that morning, slightly tempting Mamoru to simply melt into the earth and take a nap. 

 

Everything felt calm. Serene. So why did one little question from the Prince seem to threaten such peace? 

 

Mamoru paused for a moment, but eventually answered a hesitant “okay.” 

 

Jougo rested on his side, propping his head on an upturned palm to face his best friend. “Promise?” 

 

Mamoru nodded. It was too late to back out now. 

 

“Can I look under your mask?” Jougo whispered. His eyes were filled with great expectations. Expectations that Mamoru seriously didn’t want to shatter, but the anxiety welling up in his chest had other plans. 

 

For a moment they lied still on the grass, the only thing standing between them the silence. Jougo shifted to lie comfortably on his stomach, knowing that it would take Mamoru a while to answer. The prince rested his ear on his knuckles so he could still see Mamoru as he waited. Mamoru was grateful that Jougo gave him time to think, at least. He understood the prince’s wish, and truthfully, a part of Mamoru wanted in on it too. He didn’t understand why, but something about Jougo being the only person to see his face made him warm inside. 

 

But there was always this fear. An indescribable fear that clung to him, looming over him like an overcast sky. He really didn’t understand why either, but something about Jougo seeing his face made Mamoru feel really anxious. He supposed it was related to his lack of memories. But whatever the reason was, it was killing Mamoru a little bit inside since he had no way of explaining his fear. 

 

He wanted it to go away. Such things shouldn’t have a place in his life; they only stopped him from being happy. From making Jougo happy. 

 

“Waiiiting,” Jougo drawled out the word in a singsong tone. The prince swung his legs back and forth. 

 

Mamoru suppressed a sigh. Silence wasn’t an option; the prince would pry a few days later, and it would keep building up until finally, the tension would push either of them to do something stupid. 

 

“Your majesty.”

 

“Yesss?” Jougo perked up, sitting up straight on the grass. He crossed his legs, that expectant smile showing on his face again. “What is it, Mamo?”

 

Mamoru cleared his throat, ignoring the voice in his head screaming at him to stay quiet and pretend he never heard Jougo in the first place. “I will… show my face another day. When… I’m ready.”

 

Jougo huffed, obviously let down, but not as much had Mamo outright rejected his request. “When exactly do you plan to do that?”  

 

Mamoru paused, then an idea crossed his mind. “Can I do it on your birthday?”

 

Jougo’s eyes lit up. “That’s a week from now!” 

 

Mamoru smiled shyly, falling victim to the prince’s light and infectious aura. He felt his cheeks burn. “Y-yes.”  

 

Jougo beamed brighter than the stars that twinkled at night. Unable to contain his excitement, the prince rolled over and settled on top of Mamoru, who let out a soft gasp as he felt the prince’s weight on his chest. The blush on his cheeks intensified and he only hoped that his mask was big enough to cover it.

 

Apparently not, as Jougo proceeded to poke at Mamoru’s  cheeks. “You’re so red, Mamo,” the prince giggled. 

 

Mamoru’s brain seemed to stop working as Jougo leaned down to peck each cheek, causing them to burn into a deeper shade of red. “J-Jougo?”

 

“I can’t wait until I see the complete look on your face when I tease you like this,” Jougo said, a mischievous grin on his face. Mamoru covered his face with his hands, leading the prince to laugh at this action. Jougo’s laughter dissolved into the tranquil afternoon. 


	5. Wish/Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 Prompt: Wish/Hope. 
> 
> Jougo hated small and quiet places.
> 
> For full effect, read this while listening to "Dark Paradise" by Lana Del Rey.

Mamoru’s bedroom was the quietest and smallest place Jougo had ever been. The only things inside the room were a bed, a window, and a small table with someone’s old clothes on it. It barely had enough space to hold two people. Jougo vaguely remembered his aversion for tight and quiet places. The combination of not having enough space to move around and the deafening silence simply didn’t sit well with the prince, who was used to an entire kingdom filled with life and noise.

 

But Jougo hated not being able to be with Mamoru more.

 

So he here was, in the smallest and quietest place he had ever been. Dim and rotten, the only source of light coming from a small window barely covered by a sun-bleached curtain fluttering in the wind, tiny splotches of moss on the walls—it was arguably the worst place in the world for a crowned king to stay in. Jougo felt terribly out of place, yet also terribly at home. Home, tangled in the former owner’s bed sheets; home, enveloped in _his_ scent; home, if there was even such a thing anymore, since he was gone. Even so, this was the only thing Jougo had left that could even come close to home, to _him_.

 

Jougo lets himself sniff the sheets, the pillows, but doesn’t even dare looking at the pile of clothes in the corner, neatly folded, as if its owner would use them again. He doesn’t dare because now all he can think about is the smell of fresh grass and how Mamoru always—how Mamoru _used to_ lie on the grass with him, smile as delicate as blooming flowers, eyes as bright as the sun, kisses pure and sweet and very much alive—and Jougo realizes his own eyes are wet and scalding, and that at this point it’s useless to try stopping himself from getting Mamoru’s clothes, just so he could smell him again, to _feel_ him again.

 

So he does, and somehow smelling Mamoru’s clothes has managed to create a new rift in his already broken heart because this isn’t actually Mamoru’s scent, he realizes, as he clutches and nuzzles the fabric like a lifeline. It’s the stench of death and blood, and neither of those things fit Mamoru, who is—who _was_ the sun and the flowers and the meadow, who gave Jougo’s life a damn meaning.

 

Jougo can only sob and scream and squirm as he lets grief and loss overtake him for the third time that day.

 

When Jougo can’t cry anymore, his first thought is that his eyes were tired. Tired from weeping, or from opening to a world without Mamoru in it, Jougo couldn’t tell. It seemed like both.

 

In his last minutes of consciousness, when his eyes are finally too tired to even open, he whispers something to no one in particular.

 

“Please let me see him tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wahh, this was so late!! My apologies as I got caught up with school. I'll still do my best to write something for every prompt even if I'm late! >:3c I hope you enjoyed, and comments/criticism is very very appreciated! If anything feels wonky, please do tell me.


	6. Gentle/Intertwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 Prompt: Gentle/Intertwined.
> 
> Fate has them deeply intertwined throughout time.

It is two in the morning and the rooftop of Johan and Judai’s apartment complex is the best next thing to a romantic getaway, so here they are, in their spontaneous, budget pseudo-honeymoon. The cold October air envelops them both, turning their fingertips stiff and ears pink, but they try not to let the weather hinder this unplanned moment.

  
Soft ballroom music spills from Johan's phone, barely audible enough to echo throughout the rooftop due to the traffic below them. Such a strange urban world they have awakened to, with so much noise and pollution and movement - as if nothing never slept. But such developments were of little importance.

  
Mamoru raises his hand and Jougo instinctively takes it, even though he has no memory of a waltz. He sifts through Judai’s memories but quickly discovers that his reincarnation isn’t any better at him when it comes to dancing. Somehow, though, that doesn't matter because Mamoru's eyes - not quite the same, as they are both green, but he has the same loving gaze, solely tailored for the prince, from a lifetime ago - seem to hold the answers for all of Jougo’s questions. They circle around each other, eyes locked the whole time, and both of their hands intertwine, indicating the commencement of their attempt at ballroom romance. 

  
It's not perfect, of course; Jougo steps on Mamoru's feet so much that they take off their shoes, and they laugh at how ridiculously cold the concrete floor feels. Mamoru twirls Jougo, and although Jougo is not particularly graceful, the look Mamoru gives him tempts him to think otherwise; maybe he is graceful, or maybe he's not so bad at this, so he forgets that he doesn't remember (hell, he probably didn’t even know) how to dance and loses himself in Johan’s—in _Mamoru’s_ eyes once more, just like always. He lets his body navigate itself in the soft crease of Mamoru's lips as he smiles at Jougo fondly every so often when the latter stumbles. Mamoru gently guides him through the steps, and Jougo follows as best as he can, immersed in the saccharine thought that he's dancing with the love of his life at two in the morning, under the pale moonlight, and the universe has been kind enough to let them meet again, albeit briefly, in this lifetime. They are a glitch in a love story that is not theirs per se, a love story that actually belongs to two different people with different names and different stories but essentially with the same souls.

  
The song ends, and so does their dance, but their last position—Jougo leaning backward and Mamoru supporting his back with an arm, their lips inches apart—gives them the illusion that maybe it's not over yet. Maybe their dance doesn’t need the music or the moonlight.

 

Mamoru presses their foreheads together, a heartbreakingly fond smile on his lips. “I’m here,” he says, in Johan’s voice, “I’m here now, your majesty.”

 

Jougo closes his eyes, leaning into Mamoru’s touch. “Mamoru,” he breathes his name so reverently, so _blissfully_ , like he’s tasting heaven on his lips as the syllables fall from his mouth. And maybe it does, because when their lips collide Jougo realizes what heaven really is like.  

 

Heaven _is_ a place on earth, and it’s right here, in Mamoru’s arms. And even if it’s not their own time, even if he and Mamoru have actually already left the stage and two other people have taken their love story—Jougo doesn’t mind.

 

All Jougo ever wished for were silver-screen kisses anyway, and now he gets to have his for the last time. The King could never ask for a sweeter reunion.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and criticism is much appreciated ^_^


End file.
